The Hunger Games  Peeta's POV
by CaptainOblivious1o0o
Summary: Peeta struggles to keep his emotions under control as he fights for the girl he loves.
1. Chapter 1

_DISCLAIMER: I IN NO WAY OWN ANY OF THE REFRENSING TO THE HUNGER GAMES. NO COPYRIGHT INTENDED_

_Chapter 1_

I woke up the morning of the Reaping to the sound of my mother banging on the door threatening to beat me if I wasn't ready in 2 minutes. Groaning, I rolled out of bed got washed and saw the new suit my father had bought me for the Reaping this year. I had about 4 inches of ankle showing out my old one, but this new one looked amazing must have cost a fortune. The jacket was royal blue and had a tie to match, a white button-down shirt and deep navy trousers. Maybe she would notice me in clothes that actually fit rather than being too small or big hand-me downs, which were tatty after my brothers were through with them.

I walked downstairs soaking in every detail of my home above the bakery in case I wouldn't see it again; the off white, rough walls, the bumpy wooden slats on the floor.

I sat down at the dining table where my older brother Rye looked sick to the core. He hates Reaping day. I do too, which is stupid because I only have 5 slips in the glass ball; however people in the seam have tons because of tesserae. I know she has twenty. She most likely won't even be thinking of my meagre 5 in comparison to her boyfriend Gale who will be entered forty or fifty odd times I think. My oldest brother is no longer eligible for the Reaping. He turned 19 a few months ago. He looks relived but when he looks at Rye, his expression darkens and turns worried.

Father walks in with two loafs of fresh bread, he sets one on the table and one on the side. We always have this meal on Reaping day. Father lets us have fresh bread as it could be our last meal with all of us together. He then pulls a block of goats' cheese made by Primrose Everdeen - which people are always willing to trade for. Father is always generous to Prim. Everybody is, just as they are to Katniss. But father was in love with their mother see, a long time ago, and always wants to help out a subtly as he can. When their father died in the mining accident Katniss has been getting the meat for practically all my families' meals with her boyfriend Gale.

There's a knock at the door, I am closest so I go to answer.

Gale Hawthorne. He is holding a squirrel in this left hand and a game bag slung casually over his shoulder. The way the light catches him just in that moment would be wonderful to draw. But I resent him. He is so close to her I envy him too much.

They're hunting partners you see; Katniss is only really friends with two people, Gale and Madge. Madge doesn't hunt with them though. But a lot of people – particularly boys – want to be friends with her. A lot of girls do sewing or cleaning to earn trade. But she hunts. She's beautiful too in a way no other girl our age is. She's confident, but hostile and keeps to herself. Gale is the only boy she gives the time of day to. So many boys envy him, just as many girls envy her. However Gale goes out with girls and is a dastardly flirt, anyone can see he likes Katniss. She's the only one who doesn't realise. One time at lunch she was sitting in the grass alone and Gale went to sit next to her. They lay down and started talking. They looked amazing together. But the way he was looking at her was an insight to who he really was rather than some arrogant boy. But she just stared at the clouds, admiring one of the few days we see the blue of the sky. She's his was look he gave to any boy who ever looked like they were approaching her. And no one ever really dared. To be on Gales bad side was not fun.

'Father, Gale has trade!' I say into the room behind me.

My Father walks into the door as I walk away with a large loaf of bread this morning. He always does his worst trades with people like Gale on Reaping day; he tries to provide for their families as much as he can.

'Good luck' Father says before he closes the door on Gale.

I Gale muttering 'I'll need it,' under his breath.

Forty-two times, I can't imagine how terrified he must be.

We sit back down and eat breakfast with mother only comforting Rye. She doesn't like me much. She lets Rye sit there and do nothing for an hour but says to me 'Peeta make yourself useful!'

So I go decorate the sandwich cake. I only use orange on days like this, it's my favourite colour, and I don't like wasting it. I decorated a complicated pattern of swirling flowers with white highlights and black shadowing and created what I had only seen a few times. A mockingjay, I leave the icing to dry and go wash my hands to go to the Reaping.

When North America fell and everything was destroyed, Panem was created. The Capitol, and district one through thirteen. But 13 had an uprising against the Capitol and were destroyed. To remind us 12 districts left that the Captiol is in control and will defeat us if we have an uprising they created the Hunger Games. Two tributes, a boy and a girl, are chosen to fight to the death with the rest of the tributes. At the age of twelve your name is entered once. Thirteen twice and so on, but if you are poor you can sign up for a tesserae for each member of your family and get it entered another time. But for each of these you have over the years they all add up. Like Gale with his forty or fifty slips. You are only eligible for the games at the age of twelve to eighteen. If someone is chosen and another eligible person is willing to take your place they can volunteer. Volunteers are common in other districts where the honour of winning is so great; people are willing to risk their lives. 12 seem to always be the exception. We have won less than a handful of times. None of which were in my lifetime. The Capitol also broadcasts the hunger games to every television. It is mandatory to watch.

To get chosen for the hunger games in district 12 is a death sentence.

If you are to win the hunger games, food is provided for the whole of your district. In 12 that is a luxury we have rarely received. Mother says if we win one day she'll find a way to preserve some of the food for the future…..

We head to the square and I separate from my family, Rye heading to the 17 year old boys area, me to the 16 year old boys area. I scan the girl's area to see Katniss. She is wearing a dress as she rarely does even on Reaping day. Usually she wears a skirt and top. However today in a blue dress that would match my suit. She looks beautiful. I watch as Gales mouth form those words as I think them, and watch as he walks to the 18 year old boy's area. I follow Katniss' gaze to where she watches Gale, sadness clear on her face. Then she looks away and her gaze is on Prim. Of course, its Primrose's first year, she much be sick with worry for her younger sister.

On stage a tall man with little hair, mayor Undersee sits beside Effie Trinket who is sporting a more ridiculous pink wig this year than the last. This is pink, and clashes with the green of her dress. The other chair is empty. Haymitch the only surviving victor is nowhere to be seen. Mayor Undersee stands as gives the usual speech which I tune out and stare at Katniss with her beautiful but complicated braids which frame her face and make her eyes look large and smouldering. The mayor says 'it is both a time for repentance and a time for thanks' he then reads the names of the past two victors. As he does this the unmistakable sound of Haymitch Abernathy hollering something which I could not understand as he tumbles onto the stage and collapses noisily into the chair and hugs Effie – who looks, to put it mildly, disgusted - as applause sounds from the audience. We will be a laughing stock because this is being broadcasted directly to the capitol. The mayor quickly averts the attention to Effie who says her token

'Happy hunger games! And may the odds be ever in your favour!'

Effie rambles on about honour and everyone tunes out. But when she says

'Ladies first' the crowd goes so silent you could hear a pin drop. She pulls out a slip of paper and I am aching with hope it isn't Katniss.

It isn't. But it's her sister;

Primrose Everdeen.

_Thanks for reading i hope you enjoyed it! Please review and give constructive feedback! Please! read on..._


	2. Chapter 2

_DISCLAIMER: I IN NO WAY OWN ANY OF THE REFRENSING TO THE HUNGER GAMES. NO COPYRIGHT INTENDED_

_Chapter 2_

I look at Prim as she walks up to the stage, then I see a flash of blue as Katniss runs up to Prim. She pushes her out the way and screeches

'I volunteer! I volunteer as a tribute!'

Prim is screaming at her not to go but Katniss ignores her. There is some debate on stage as of what to do as this has never happened before. In 74 years. I want to scream at Katniss not to go but she doesn't even know I exist so what's the point? As Katniss stands on stage Effie asks her name

'Katniss Everdeen.' She says flatly. Her expression was cold and emotionless.

'I bet my buttons that was your sister! Don't want her stealing all the glory do we?' she says ' now give a big round of applause to your newest tribute!'

The district is silent. No one knows what to do. Then in unison everyone lifts their left hand to their lips, touches their three middle fingers and holds it out to Katniss, a sign of admiration, farewell, and luck. She struggles on stage to hide her emotions but manages to keep up a steely exterior.

Haymitch hugs Katniss and slurs 'I like her…lots of…..spunk!'

He tumbles towards the camera 'more than you! More than you!' he screams angrily.

Then to the mercy of everyone, falls off and is knocked unconscious.

'There's more excitement to come! Now, it's time for the Boy tributes!' Effie exclaims.

She reaches into the glass ball and I am hoping it's not me. Or anyone I know. Or love.

'Peeta Mellark!' Effie beams.

Oh the irony. The phrase Kill or Be killed comes to mind.

I can't control the emotions that wash over me. But maybe if I appear weak the attention will be taken off Katniss. So I walk up to the stage looking shaken to the core.

Effie asks for volunteers but none come. I wasn't expecting any.

Effie tells me and Katniss to shake hands, as we do I try to reassure her, I squeeze her hand and look into her eyes only to find a cold hard stare reflected back at me which softens slightly but only for a flicker of a moment. As if, remembering something.

The anthem plays. Then we are then taken to the justice building by peacekeepers to say goodbye to our closest friends and family. We have ten minutes to our self's first though. Me and Katniss are in separate rooms but all I think about is how can I protect her? Take the attention of her. Seem weak. Help her in the arena. But she is a hunter. Like Gale. She's skilled with a bow and arrow and had accuracy I can only dream of. But, she's a hunter. They do what they have to survive. Oh God, like I could even think of protecting her? She's strong; maybe I can help her indirectly?

First my mother and father see me. Mother I tune out, but she says one thing that catches my attention ' We might come home with a victor this year! She's a fighter that one!'

Father looked at me sympathetically as mother gives me a kiss on the cheek and leaves us two alone. He doesn't say much, he isn't a man of many words.

'Try hard to win. But do what really matters to you. Promise me one thing'

'What?' I say puzzled

'Don't lose yourself'

He then gives me a hug and walks out. The tears feel cold on my face.

Next my friends walk in, I promise them I'll try to win but I can't stop thinking about when my dad said _do what really matters to you_ all I could think about was saving Katniss' life. I think about the first day I saw her. She stood in the school yard in a red plaid dress as father pointed out her mother and said something about wanting to marry her but she went off with a miner who could sing so beautifully mocking jays stopped to listen. But all I could think about was wrapping my arms around the small girl with the two braids, and looking into those smouldering large grey eyes. He must know how I feel. He is the only one I've been close to in my family. Obviously I love my brothers and mother. But father was different.

My brothers then walk in. Rye won't look me in the eye. But my oldest brother hugs me and begs for me to win. Rye just nods his eyes stuck on the floor

The peace keepers barge in and grab them

Rye starts saying 'I'm sorry Peeta I should have-' then the door slams and that is the last I will ever see of them. And I'll never know what he wanted to say. I know I won't be coming home. But as long as Katniss does, I'll die happy.

I get escorted out the room and down a corridor where Katniss is waiting with more peacekeepers. I realise how I must look to her; the bakers' son, a crying wreck. But I stay true to what I said. I will take the attention of Katniss by appearing weak so they will try and pick me off first. I see her looking at me curiously as I don't even attempt to dry my tears.

We walk outside and the cameras flash and blind me. But I make it to the train. It's so posh and expensive looking I'm scared to even walk on the carpet in case I make it dirty. I've never been on a train. But I'm guessing this is the best of the best. It's like a long house. It's all so nice. We are escorted to our rooms which are about as large as the whole bakery. Haymitch murmurs something about a nap then walks off to his room farther down the train.

I walk into my room. It's huge, about the size of the entire bakery! There's so much room around the bed (which is square, not rectangle and must by 7ft wide) The shower alone in the bathroom is not far off the size of my bedroom. It also has hot running water which is a luxury only Victors Village has. The draws in the chest are filled to the brim with clothes. But I choose the simplest clothes I can. Then I have a hot shower and press random buttons on the control pad I squirted with rose scented water then quickly change it to something else. Way too feminine.

Once I'm dried off I realise still another 15 minutes till supper. But I go anyway. I admire the art on the walls and wish I could afford paints in such rich colours. And not have to see someone eat mine. Katniss and Effie wonder in, Katniss had a gold badge that glints in the light, I couldn't quite see what it was but it looked like it had wings. I realise the seat next to me is for Haymitch, not Katniss. Of course, we aren't meant to be friends.

'Where's Haymitch?' asks Effie, unable to hide the hope in her voice of him not coming

'Last time I saw him I think he said something about a nap.' I say.

'Well, it's been an exhausting day!' says Effie delightedly

Supper comes and you can practically hear my mouth drop. A carrot soup with is thick unlike all the thin soups we have at home. A green salad, mashed potatoes (I love these), lamb chops, a fruit and cheese platter, and chocolate cake. Katniss struggled to hide her delight at the chocolate cake. I stuff myself and ignore the comments from Effie saying about there being more courses to come.

I think about the rich chocolate cake which is richer than anything we make at our bakery. My thoughts drift to the cakes I decorate in the shop window; I know Prim loves looking at them. Sometimes when I bring in a new batch of bread from the ovens into the shop I see Primrose dragging Katniss to look in the window. Prims' expression was of intense longing. Katniss' scowl lessens some as she sees them. I can't help but feel a warm glow thinking it was my doing that ridded her of her usual scowl. I always want to scoop up the cakes and give them to them. But that would make Father and mother mad.

'At least you two have decent manners' as Katniss and I polish off the last of the main course. 'The last pair ate everything with their hands like a couple of savages. It completely upset my digestion. '

The last two people were from the Seam and had never seen this much food in one place in such a short amount of time. Father always made us eat properly with knives and forks. I saw Katniss make a point of eating the rest of the meal with her fingers and wiping her hands on the table cloth. It took all I had not to spit out the juice in my mouth in laughter all over Effie.

I almost regret eating all that rich luxurious food. I see Katniss fighting to keep it down. She must have it much worse than me. The grain our bread is made from is much more refined than hers, even if it has gone stale or is over cooked (we usually toast it to hide this fact). We go to another compartment and watch a recap of the reaping in every district. The Career Districts such as 2 have a large boy who looked prepared to kill everyone there and then so he could compete. And a tiny girl who I could see reminded Katniss of Primrose. She was tiny, only twelve and from district 11. She looked strong though. Even for someone with such a dainty fairy-like frame. I watch our reaping next. Seeing the desperation in Katniss' face is overwhelming. And the silent salute from the district makes tears well in my eyes. Seeing Haymitch falling off stage is funny. But I don't laugh. Then I see myself being chosen. I seem weak. Then I see Katniss' face flash with recognition on screen, when she looked at me. Effie seemed upset about the state her wig was in as she keeps on touching it now. And she says

'Your mentor has a lot to learn about presentation, a lot about televised behaviour.' She says

'He was drunk!' I say trying to lighten the mood 'he is every year!'

'Every day!' Katniss chimes in and we both laugh.

'Yes! How odd it is you both find it amusing' Effie hisses 'you know your mentor is your lifeline to the world in the games; the one who advises you, lines up any sponsors and dictates the presentation of any gifts. Haymitch can well be the difference between your life and your death!' we both shut up at that.

As if on cue, Haymitch stumbles in 'I miss supper?' he slurs. He then vomits and falls into the mess

'So laugh away!' says Effie. She then hops daintily around the vomit and leaves the room.

_Thanks for reading i hope you enjoyed it! Please review and give constructive feedback! please read on..._


	3. Chapter 3

_DISCLAIMER: I IN NO WAY OWN ANY OF THE REFRENSING TO THE HUNGER GAMES. NO __COPYRIGHT INTENDED_

_Chapter 3_

As me and Katniss look at Haymitch as he slowly comes to the realisation that he is in a pool of his own vomit, me and Katniss share a glance – the disgust raw on her face – and we bend down to lift him up. The smell of white liquor and vomit is even worse the closer I got, if that were even possible.

'I tripped?' Haymitch asked confused 'smells bad'

You can say that again. I think drily. 'Let's get you back to you room' I say ' clean you up a bit'

Katniss and I mostly carry Haymitch, who is almost a dead weight and guide him to his room. I glance around I realise me and Katniss don't want to ruin any of the expensive furnishings and lead him to the bathroom. We put him in the bathtub and Katniss turned the shower on him with icy cold water, he didn't notice a thing, just looked at us as if trying to work out something.

Seeing Katniss shifting from foot to foot and looking around the room uncomfortably makes me say 'it's ok, I'll take it from here' even though it is the last thing I want to do at this moment.

'All right' she says ' I can send one of the capitol of the people to help you.'

'No, I don't want them.' I say. I am perfectly capable, plus I don't want to embarrass our district more. She hovers in the doorway for a moment as if pondering something, and then walks away. I sigh and clean Haymitch. By the end of the wash down he regains some soberness and gets dressed unsteadily and I help him stay upright as he hobbles over to the bed and collapses. I could have sworn he was asleep before his head was even on the pillow. He isn't under the covers but I make no attempt to help him. I think I've done enough. I set a cup of water from the pitcher on the bed side table and leave.

As I wondered back to my room, I think about when she was pouring through the bins looking for scraps of food outside our shop and mother screamed at her to go away and threatened to beat her. She ran away and sat looking helpless under the tree near the pigs' pen round the back. I think that was the most vulnerable I've ever seen her. It wasn't so long after her father had died. And my own father would never look at me the same if he knew I wasn't going to even try to help out. So I grabbed two loafs of bread from the back and threw them into the flames. Mother chose that moment to barge in muttering under her breath about Scum from the Seam. That made me really angry. How dare she talk about the family who used to provide all our meat for us, which we no longer have as Katniss can't catch enough yet, for her family and enough to trade with our family? She saw me by the fire and the two loafs of bread, put two and two together and screamed at me to take them out. I did and she hit me and screamed about no one decent buying burned bread, and told me to feed it to the pigs. She then hit me on the head with the rolling pin. I stumbled outside tears threatening to fall. But I held them in. I tore off the chunks of charred bread and threw the pieces at the pigs, then realised how little of it had actually been burned I threw them in Katniss' direction. I saw her pick them up. I could practically feel the surge of hope that filled her. I stepped inside; glowing with delight, then remembered mother could be anywhere and tried to look sad, rubbing the fast appearing bruise on my head. I went upstairs to my room and grabbed one of the small scraps of unused paper I'd been collecting from school recently. And grabbed a pencil and drew Katniss when she saw the bread. I then placed it at the back of my cupboard- the pile was rapidly building.

The next day at the end of school I was staring at her trying to work out what I would say to her. She turned around and caught me looking she looked back then I looked away. I could see how grateful she was. She picked up a dandelion which was on the ground at her feet. She looked like a black and white picture with only a hint of colouring in her cheeks from the cold and the yellow and green of the dandelion. I drew her in that moment the sadness and happiness that occupied her eyes, a look that seemed too old for someone so young. I added it to my pile which I flipped through. Katniss the first day I saw her at the entrance to school (only started these pictures a year ago but I remember her in the moment so clearly)another of her and her father with five squirrels each to sell to us, her hugging her dad after the first day of school. Her admiring my cake which was covered in iced primroses lacing in and out delicately. I decorated that cake hoping she'd notice it.

I came back to reality with a start; I was outside Katniss' room. I wondered how long I'd been there. I considered knocking and trying to talk to her. But instead walked back to my room and waited for sleep to come.

_Thanks for reading I hope you enjoyed it! Please review and give constructive feedback! Please read on..._


	4. Chapter 4

_DISCLAIMER: I IN NO WAY OWN ANY OF THE REFRENSING TO THE HUNGER GAMES. NO COPYRIGHT INTENDED_

_Chapter 4_

In the morning I went to wake Haymitch only to find him guzzling down coffee and looking like hell. I ordered him to a cold shower and left the room while he dressed. We then went to breakfast and waited for Effie and Katniss to arrive.

'So, Peeta What d' you think of Katniss? Feisty isn't she! You know she's the first to volunteer in 68 years! That's older than me!' he slurred loudly into my ear.

'She's ok' I said but I could feel myself blushing.

Unfortunately Haymitch noticed. 'Ooh you _like _her! Sorry about your bad luck son. Just hope someone else kills her and it doesn't have to be you. '

'Oh I won't let anybody kill her.' I say with finality.

'Ok,' he laughs to himself, then turn to me and sees the look I'm giving him (I was hoping to kill him with that look, unfortunately it didn't work) then he continues' well protect her indirectly at first. That will help her most.' He says, and then adds laughing' oh my giddy golly gosh imagine being in love with the one you have to fight at the end!'

I think about lobbing the bread roll in my hand at his face to wipe the laugh away, but Effie and Katniss just walked in so I decide against it.

'Sit down! Sit down!' says Haymitch to Katniss as she stands taking in the enormous mound of bread rolls in the centre of the table. She slides in and as soon as she in sat, the pile of eggs, ham and potatoes is placed in front of her. Her eyes shine with delight. She then looks at the orange juice, then the coffee – and looks mildly disgusted – then the hot chocolate. She looks puzzled and I realise she's never had it before!

'They call it hot chocolate' I say 'it's good' and I hand her the jug.

We sometimes have it when the cocoa powder for making chocolate cakes has nearly finished and isn't enough to make cakes. I dunk my bread roll and watch as Katniss gulps it down and drains the cup to the last few unreachable dregs which she eyes longingly. I decide to eat breakfast slowly. I don't often have eggs or potatoes and try to savour them. While Katniss seems to stuff herself like she'll never see food again. Which pretty soon, we might not see in such large quantities.

I can smell the white liquor Haymitch is using to thin some juice. It makes me feel queasy so I go back to dunking chunks of bread in hot chocolate.

I look at Katniss and see she is watching Haymitch and you can tell she's worried. So I hint at Haymitch

'So, you're supposed to be giving us advise'

'Here's some advice; stay alive' He cracks up as if this is really funny. But I want to keep Katniss alive. So I get really angry.

'Oh that's really funny' I say sarcastically. I knock the cup and hip flask out his hand and say more seriously 'only not to us!'

Haymitch punches me in the jaw. I fly backwards as I wasn't prepared for him to lash out like that. He turns to reach for the spirits but Katniss slams the knife down into the table where his hand is, missing him by millimetres. The ferocity in her gaze is terrifying.

'Well what's this?' Haymitch asks 'did I actually get a pair of fighters this year?'

I scoop up some ice from the fruit bowl in the middle and hold to my jaw.

'No,' says Haymitch 'let the bruise show, the audience will think you mixed it up with another tribute before you even reached the arena'

'That's against the rules!' I say bluntly as if talking to a child.

'Only if they catch you' Says Haymitch knowingly 'the bruise will say you fought but weren't caught, even better!'

He turns to Katniss 'can you hit anything with that knife besides the table?'

She confidently yanks the knife out the table with surprising strength for someone so pixie-like, and throws it at the wall. It lodges in the seam between two panels, perfectly central. She seems mildly surprised at the good hit. I know a bow and arrow is her weapon. She has traded with my father and I help him prepare the squirrels she sells us. None of the meat is ever damaged as she hits it through the eye .Every time.

'Stand over here both of you' says Haymitch we walk over to him and stand a few feet apart. He walks around us poking and prodding, us. He spends a long time poking my arms and shoulders feeling the muscle there, and the same on Katniss, only not for quite as long.

'Well you're not entirely hopeless' he finally says 'seem fit. Once the stylists get hold of you you'll be attractive enough'

We don't say anything to this so he carries on talking

'Ok, I'll make a deal with you. You don't interfere with my drinking and I'll stay sober enough to help you. But, you have to do exactly as I say.'

'Fine' I say, only a bit annoyed with this mostly one sided deal.

Katniss jumps right in 'so help us. When we get to the arena what's the best strategy at the cornucopia for someone –,'

'One thing at a time!' says Haymitch 'in a few minutes we'll be pulling into the station. You're going to be put in the hands of your stylists. You aren't going to like what they do to you, but whatever it is. Don't resist.'

'But -,' begins Katniss

'No buts. Don't resist'

He sits down and watches me and Katniss.

We stand side by side until the train pulls into the Capitol. We run to the window to gawp at the Capitol. It looks so abstract compared to district 12; it was all bright sickly colours and strangely shaped buildings. The buildings the colour of the icing my brothers make when I'm ill and can't ice the cakes for them. We get near the station and people start pointing at us. Katniss steps back. But I carry on waving and smiling, more sponsors the more friendly you are I hope. As the train stops and no one can see us from the outside. Katniss looks at me, mixture of curiosity on repulsiveness, still with her signature scowl. I say

'Who knows, one of them might be rich'

This makes her smile and looks impressed. One of the few moments I've seen her without the slight scowl. A moment later I see in the glass her watching me. She looks shameful for a moment, then her face darkens and she turns away. I hate to imagine what she's thinking.

_Thanks for reading I hope you enjoyed it! Please review and give constructive feedback! Please read on..._


	5. Chapter 5

_DISCLAIMER: I IN NO WAY OWN ANY OF THE REFRENSING TO THE HUNGER GAMES. NO COPYRIGHT INTENDED_

_Chapter 5_

My stylists don't have much to do for me. They wash my hair and cover it in a load of products. Style it so it is raised on top and is swept to the right. I like it. It looks great. They shave my face and do something that feels all tingly so I won't have to shave whilst being in the games. They 'exfoliate' and use expensive products washing me from head to toe. I'm red and raw and wrapped in a fluffy towel when they lightly cover my face in powder. One of them says it's so my face doesn't look shiny on camera. Then darken my eyebrows with some kind of pencil because they're so blonde says another. My stylist comes in. She's called Portia and looks mildly normal dressed compared to the ridiculous bright coloured clothes the rest of the team wore.

Portia explains that we and Katniss will be dressed the same.

'So, what will I be wearing?' I ask curiously

'Well what do you do to coal Peeta?'

'We burn it?' I ask not even meaning for it to sound like a question.

'Correct!' She exclaims ' Not afraid of fire are we Peeta?'

'Um, well…'

'Don't worry you won't get burned' she says 'the fabric is designed so the flames aren't hurt. And the black unitard you'll be wearing is heat proof, water-proof and doesn't burn, so you'll be fine. My team have also coated your hair in a product that stops it from burning. The head-dress will look great. So will the whole outfit' she says. She hands me a black piece of stretchy fabric that I assume is the unitard. I think it won't fit but I don't question her. I put it on then she hands me a cape made of red, orange and yellow strips. I love it. Then some black boots which go up to my knees and a headdress that matches the cape. The colours are just so bright and amazing. I must look a complete idiot.

We get taken down stairs where I see Katniss. She looks deadly. But her face is full of relief when she sees me. We don't have time to talk but when we get loaded into the chariot we get told they will set fire to it just before we go onto the platform.

Katniss whispers to me when the roar of the crowd as District 1 tributes are revealed

'What do you think? About the fire?' she asks anxiously

'I'll rip of your cape if you rip off mine.' I say through gritted teeth.

'It's a deal.' Katniss says ' I know we promised Haymitch we'd do whatever they said but I don't think

He considered this angle.'

'Where is Haymitch anyway? Isn't he meant to be protecting us from this sort of thing?'

'With that much alcohol in him, it's probably not advisable to be near an open flame.'

I crack up at this, relived she can joke with me and doesn't hate me too much. She laughs too and looks amazing with the bright mane framing her face. We get told to step on the chariot and our capes are lit. So are our head dresses. I'm surprised to find out the flames aren't hot. I see Katniss make the same realisation and we grin at each other. We step out to the awaiting crowd and just before the crowd begins to roar and scream and cheer Cinna said something, but I can't quite make out what it was and Katniss turns to me questioningly,

'I think he wants us to hold hands' I say hopefully, even though I have no idea if this was what he wanted. He could have been telling us to sand on the edge of the stage. But I don't care, because Katniss holds my hand and smiles to the crowd blowing kisses and looking avenging angel with the cackling tongues of fire glowing around her and the black unitard. I stare in awe at her then realise I'm being broad casted across the whole of Panem and look out at the crowd waving and smiling at the crowd. The screen in the square we are circling blows up a massive picture of us and the other tributes are completely ignored and stays mostly on us as we circle again. The crowd goes wild whenever we pass a different section. Katniss tries to let go but all the attention I making me dizzy and she's the only thing holding me up. I turn to her and say

'No, don't let go of me' sounding pathetic ' I might fall out of this thing'

She laughs and looks amazing, but still holds onto my hand, even when a rose is thrown her way and she bends down to pick it up. I look her in the eyes as she delicately sniffs it and realise the minimal makeup was a great idea. The golden glow of the flames makes her dark hair have beautiful red highlights, and her high cheekbones are more prominent. Her eyes reflect an image of me and I realise I've been gawping at her so I look away. I look at the large screen which shows the moment the tributes get pulled into the training building. And the district 2 tributes are by far the best looking. Cato who looked monstrous before would surely have girls falling at his feet all over Panem. The small girl from district 11 looks like fairy for real now in that dress. Her other district member looked good too. But the scowl and hostility was not unusual. The other districts I didn't see because of the angle we were at. We get pulled into the training building and we step out and walk in.

_Thanks for reading I hope you enjoyed it! Please review and give constructive feedback! Please read on..._


	6. Chapter 6

_DISCLAIMER: I IN NO WAY OWN ANY OF THE REFRENSING TO THE HUNGER GAMES. NO COPYRIGHT INTENDED_

_Chapter 6_

We let go of hands reluctantly and massage them. When it gets quiet enough for us to talk I say

'Thanks for holding onto me. I was getting shaky out there' Portia stops extinguishing Katniss and begins on me.

'It didn't show. I'm sure no one noticed' she says, looking me dead in the eye.

'I'm sure they didn't notice anything but you. You should wear flames more often,' I say then add shyly 'they suit you' I'm glad I don't blush but a shy smile plays on my lips.

She looks at me as if trying to figure something out. Then she surprises me by holding both my hands standing on tiptoe, and kisses me right on my bruise. Then she walks into the elevator, just before it closes. It opens again so I can follow in. Effie and Katniss wait for me. I jump in and realise the girl of my dreams just kissed me, I feels my face flush and turn around desperately trying to hide it. Effie is talking about sponsors. But I can't concentrate. Katniss and Effie step out and Effie says something about Coal turning into Pearls which Katniss struggles not to laugh at. But I'm still in a daze. They walk off and I'm alone in the corridor. I want to dance or scream in happiness but I don't.

I feel myself blush then Haymitch steps out of the shadows.

'Oh how sweet, the girl on fire kissed Peeta. Don't get too excited son. She doesn't know a thing about how you feel about her' Haymitch then walks off. I stand there a while longer then get in the elevator to the floor containing district 12 tributes, mentors and stylists. He must have seen us and gone in the other elevator.

The room was a peachy cream colour. With one red wall and red based furnishings. The bathroom was the size of the entire room on the train, which was huge. I go in the shower and try out a few of the settings before hopping out and letting the machine dry me like a giant hair-drier I saw my stylists use. I try not to think too much about what Haymitch said. Katniss wouldn't have just been playing me would she? I mean, it probably meant nothing to her; she only kissed me on my jaw, not on my lips. It was maybe just a token of friendship. I don't know how I let it go to my head. Peeta stop it. I tell myself. It was just her being kind.

I can't sleep so I pace the room. All the time I've watched Katniss at school; trying to work out what to say, to make her like me. Gale sometimes catches me watching her and looks at me like I'm a freak, or like he's laughing at me. It has taken me 11 years to talk to her. And now we have to kill one another. I decide to go see Haymitch. Desperate times call for desperate measures.

I walk down to his room in the same end of the corridor as mine, the girls' are at the other end. I knock on his door but it's already ajar. I walk in and say

'Hello, Haymitch? Are you in there? Hello!'

'Bugger off!' he walks out of the bathroom, and amazingly is the most sober I've ever seen him. But he's still tipsy. He sees my face and how hard it looks. Then says

'What's wrong? It better be important or I'll kill you – or maybe not someone else will!' he cracks up but I ignore the comment.

'Ok…..well I….uh….hum…I love Katniss and I want her to win. I need to help her but I don't know how.'

'Oh, well. Uh…' first time I've ever seen him speechless.

'I'll think about that one then tell you a plan soon. Ok?' he finally says.

'Ok.' I say relieved I don't have to be near him while he is drunk. Or will be drunk. I wonder what happened to turn him into such an alcoholic. Maybe it was the horrors of the Hunger games? One victor, called Annie, was sent mad with the night mares and flashbacks. I wonder if this is how Haymitch copes.

As I'm about to leave Haymitch grabs me and says 'just don't let the careers get her. They'll be the ones who want her dead most.'

Then he slams the door on me and I go to bed, and sleep finally comes.

Later that evening; I wake up and go in the huge shower again. I try out a few more of the settings and thick cinnamon scented foam covers me. I hate cinnamon, we make cinnamon cookies in winter and the baking room suffocating smells of cinnamon overwhelm me. I change it to lemon as the lemon cake we sometimes get when it has gone stale is my favourite.

I then get changed into a white shirt and dark brown trousers, when Cinna, Katniss' stylist, is knocking at the door.

'Hello Cinna!' I say then I see Portia standing behind him 'Portia! Oh is it dinner time?'

'Not just yet. But we wanted to talk to you. Don't worry, it's not bad.' Says Cinna calmly.

'Oh, ok.' Then I gesture for them to come inside but Cinna gestures for me to follow. I do and we end up on the roof where the wind is so loud I swear I can't hear anything. But that's the whole point. He doesn't want anyone over hearing. I ask what would happen if a tribute jumped off the edge, but Cinna simply said you can't, the force field bounces you back.

'On the chariot –,' begins Portia

'Oh I'm so sorry about that, I didn't know what you wanted us to do!' I say desperately trying to explain my actions about holding Katniss' hand, which I now realise may have ruined any of their strategies for us.

'Peeta, usually tributes hate each other, but you presenting each other as friends were genius. We originally just wanted you to stand next to each other rather than other ends of the chariot.' But when he said genius he looked at me knowingly.

'And, Haymitch told us about a plan for inside the arena he had for you.' Portia says 'To help you protect Katniss?'

I feel the blush crawl up my cheeks and neck but realise if they know, they can help me.

'We will be thinking up strategies at lunch and we decided not to tell Katniss yet about you trying to get in with the Careers. We assume that's what you wanted?' Says Cinna knowingly,

'Yes, it is. Thank you. Do you – do – do you think I should tell her? About, you know?' I finally stammer out shyly.

'Not yet. It would just distract her.' Says Portia

'Ok. You'll tell me when though, right?'

'Of course' say Portia and Cinna together.

They stand up and lead me to the dining room, which is on a balcony with a view of the Capitol. Effie walks in with Katniss at her side, whose scowl has lessened slightly at the sight of the Capitol. But the moment was short lived. We sit down and are all offered glasses of wine by silent men in white outfits. I think their called Avoxs'. I see Katniss hesitating but then taking one, then he comes over to me, I refuse it thinking of Haymitch. I hate alcohol; it burns in my throat and makes me dizzy. Katniss takes a tiny sip and wrinkles her nose in distaste. She looks so young in that moment and more like her age, it's wonderful and all I want to do is wrap her in my arms and never let go. Haymitch walks in and is so clean and sober I almost don't recognise him. Effie seems pleasantly surprised and seems to think it is her 'helpful tips' from the smug look on her face. But seeing him this sober gives me some more hope that we might win. He won his hunger games so he must have done something right. Effie and Haymitch in the presence of Cinna and Portia aren't trying to rip each other's throats, thank God. Haymitch and Effie compliment the stylists on their amazing work but Katniss says nothing as she eats the food, steadily for once, I think she's realised the slower you eat it the les sick you feel in the end. But my attention is on the Avoxs' as I wonder what they could possibly have done to upset the government and have their tongues removed for punishment?

I stare at the capitol food and I find it strange that they have tomatoes the size of peas. And the meal is prepared beautifully. The roast beef is slice so thin it's almost transparent. The mushroom soup before was so creamy and thick I ate three bowls using read to mop up as much as I could so as not to waste any. We then had noodles and a green sauce which was delicious and I wonder if this is what people in the capitol eat all the time? Or is it a treat? Thinking about how extravagant they are dying their skin shades of blue and green and having whiskers or gold tattoos of flowers for eyebrows. Yeah, this is just an average meal for them. We are then served blue grapes and cheese served on a wooden platter. The cheese melts on my tongue and I think how father would love to use these on the cheese rolls in the bakery. Katniss seems to be struggling to stay concentrated and I hadn't been paying attention to how many glasses of wine she's had. I'm guessing it's more than a few. She then switches to water and stares hard at it for a while. An Avox girl with fiery red hair stands next to Katniss placing a cake in front of her and lights it. Katniss looks at the cake in wonder then says

'Oh what makes it burn? Is it alcohol?' she turns to the Avox 'that's the last thing I –,' she pauses 'hey, I know you!' The Avox looks terrified, shakes her head and silently hurries out the room.

I wonder how Katniss knows her. I don't think she was from district 12. I'll ask her about it later I decide. She looks around and sees Cinna, Effie, Portia and Haymitch watching her with wry expressions. Then Effie pipes up

'Don't be ridiculous, Katniss. How could you possible know an Avox?' she snaps ' the very thought!'

'What's an Avox?' asks Katniss stupidly.

'Someone who committed a crime' says Haymitch 'They cut her tongue so she can't speak. She's probably a traitor of some sort. Not likely you know her.'

I see Katniss shifting uncomfortably. Then Effie says 'And even if you did, you are not to talk to one of them unless it's to give an order' Pompous Capitol Person I think. Then she adds ' of course you don't really know her.'

'No I guess not, I just …' she stammers. I have to help her. I say the name of the first girl that comes to my head, my friend Delly Cartwright.

'Delly Cartwright! I kept thinking she looked familiar as well. Then I realised she's a dead ringer for Delly Cartwright!' I say, saving Katniss. She looks relieved but follows my lead.

'Of course, that's who it is! It must be the hair.'

'Something about the eyes too' I add. It might have been going too far but no one questioned it.

'Oh well if that's all' said Cinna ' And yes, the cake has spirits, but all the alcohol has burned off. I ordered it in honour of your fiery debut. We finish eating the cake and move into a sitting room filled with plush sofas. I sit on one with Haymitch. Katniss sits on one with Cinna and Effie, Portia sat on her own. We watch the replay of the opening ceremony; a few of the districts look great, but not as good as Katniss. The camera was mostly trained on us and commentators were saying how 12 made a splash for the first time in 74 years. But even though everyone was complimenting me as well as Katniss, I could tell she was the one everyone noticed most. The girl on fire the commentators called her. She looks so beautiful; I can almost see how all of 12 will be at this moment, seeing this glimmer of hope for Katniss. She's a brilliant hunter.

Haymitch asks whose idea it was to hold hands. I look at Portia sharply. She says Cinna, which in a way it was; the way he was gesturing to us with his hands did give me the idea.

'The perfect touch of rebellion. Very nice' says Haymitch excitedly.

I know what he means. Tributes shouldn't be friends. They have to kill each other. People have been friends in the past but they always thought about themselves as the ceremonies begin.

'Tomorrow is the morning of the first training session. Meet me for breakfast and I'll tell you exactly how I want you to play it. Now go get some sleep while the adults talk' Haymitch tells us. We walk out and head down the corridor where it forks at the end where mine, Haymitch and my stylists are on the left, and Katniss, Effie and her Stylists on the right. I walk her to her room silently and when we get to the door and she opens it I lean in the door way, not stopping her from entering but hinting that I need to talk to her. She looks me in the eye and I say half joking half hinting.

'So, Delly Cartwright, imagine finding her lookalike here.'

She looks panicked for a moment and looks up and down the corridor a few times. I realise, like Cinna, she doesn't want to be over heard.

'Have you been on the roof yet?' I ask, but she shakes her head ' Cinna showed me. You can practically see the whole city.' I consider my next words carefully 'the wind is a bit loud though.'

I know she understands from the slight nod of her head.

'Can we just go up?' She asks me

'Sure, come on' I say, unsure if this is even the right answer. She follows me up the flight of stairs to the roof where there's a small ladder about a meter high to a domed room with a small platform leading to a door. I go up first and at the platform hold out my hand for her to take as the gets to the top of the ladder, I'm sure she doesn't need it, her being able to scale trees five storeys high and all, but she still takes it. We walk over to a railing on the edge of the building and lean against it. She looks out at the twinkling lights of the Capitol. And completely stops scowling. Her lips are slightly parted in amazement. Then she gets down to business.

'I asked Cinna why they let us up here. Wouldn't they worry that tributes might want to jump off the side?' I say

'What did he say?' She asks curiously

'You can't.' I hold my hand out about half a meter in front of the railing. I feel the zap before I feel it and the electricity makes my arm jerk backwards quickly 'Some kind of electric field throws you back on the roof.'

'Always worried about our safety.' she says sarcastically. The meaning was clear. Keep us fresh for the Games. 'Do you think they're watching us now?' She asks.

'Maybe' I say then look around and see the gardens, I'd been meaning to look in here ' let's go see the gardens,'

We stand close together. I admire the pretty colourful flowers and the shiny wind chimes then look at Katniss expectantly. She examines a blossom and whispers' we were out hunting in the woods one day, waiting for game'

'Who with? Your Father?' I whisper, I hide the hope well, I think to myself.

'No, my friend Gale' she continues. Friend, is that all he is to her? She's more to him and anyone can see that. But maybe they aren't boyfriend and girlfriend. I just assumed because they seemed to always be together and Gale hadn't kissed any girls that I knew off (and most girls who did kiss him told as many people as possible) recently. I feel ecstatic! I snap back to the real world as she carries on talking

'Suddenly, all the birds stopped singing all at once .Except one. As if they were giving a warning call. Then we saw her. I'm sure it was the same girl. A boy was with her. Their clothes were tattered; they had dark circles under their eyes from no sleep. They were running like their lives depended on it.'

She stops for a moment, lost in thought. I don't speak, just wait. Today I notice again how beautiful she really is. She has a lot colour in her cheeks today though, but it's so cold I expect my nose and cheeks are red as the tomatoes we ate not long ago. She soon has a guilty pain in her eyes and she looks as if she's about to cry, but only for a moment, but the gilt and pain stays there.

'The hovercraft appeared out of nowhere.' She says, a slightly strangled voice 'I mean, one moment, the sky was empty, the next there it was. It didn't make a sound, but they saw it. A net dropped down on the girl and carried her up fast, so fast, like an elevator. They shot some sort of spear through the boy. It was attached to a cable and they hauled him up. I was certain he was dead. We heard her scream once. The boy's name, I think. Then it was gone, the hovercraft. It just vanished, into thin air. And the birds began to sing again, as if nothing had happened.'

A horrible thought occurred to me. Katniss and Gale shouldn't have been in those woods. I'm so worried I just have to ask.

'Did they see you?'

She considers for a moment ' I don't know, we were under a shelf of rock' she shivers after she finishes saying this. She looks relieved to have told someone.

'You're shivering' I say. I'm not so cold, I have a long sleeved shirt on and trousers; she's only wearing a thin black short sleeved shirt and cropped black trousers. I take off my jacket and reach out to put it on her shoulders. At first she steps back, but then stops mid step and I give it to her. She almost immediately stops shivering. She looks like a little girl. The shoulders hang near her elbows, and the bottom of the jacket nearly brushes her knees.

'They were from here?' I ask and do up the top button near her neck so it stays on. If any cameras had got us – which I know they couldn't from deep in these gardens – the Capitol would be gobbling it up and love us more. She nods looks into the middle distance in her own world.

'Where do you suppose they were going' I ask, leaning in near her ear, lowering my voice from its whisper to a barely audible murmur. 'I don't know that' she looks down and I can tell she's thinking of home because her scowl is gone and replaced by an expression of intense pain. 'I don't know why they'd leave here'

I know she's talking about the endless supply of food and being oblivious to what real life is like. But everyone is so pretentious and fake, pompous and patronising. Before I even think about what I'm doing I say a little too loudly 'I'd leave here'

I look around nervously and add with a laugh 'I'd go home now if they let me. But you have to admit, the food's prime.'

She laughs and her eyes light up. Then she shivers violently, even with my jacket on,

'It's getting chilly, let's go in' I think about how well me and Katniss are getting on. Then my thoughts drift to Gale. Once we're down the steps and walking side by side, I say conversationally 'so your friend Gale. He's the one who took your sister away at the Reaping?'

'Yes. Do you know him?' She asks happy to be on safe grounds for conversation.

'No, but I hear girls talk about him a lot.' I decide against saying everyone thinks they're a couple and say what everyone wishes they were 'I thought he was your cousin or something. You favour each other?'

'No, we're not related' she says.

I nod and try not to press too hard on the subject as to make myself obvious. 'Did he come to say goodbye to you?' I ask.

I look her dead in the eye trying not to show anything too person to her as she analyses me and says

'Yes.' then unexpectedly adds 'so did your father. He brought me cookies.'

I raise my eyebrows and try to think of something to say. I wasn't expecting that!

'Hum, Really? Well he likes you and your sister. I think he wishes he had a daughter instead of a houseful of boys.'

She considers this a moment so I say

'He knew your mother when they were kids,' I wonder if her mother ever mentioned my father? They don't buy bread off us often. If Prim comes she always gets a large loaf of soft bread for two chunks of cheese. She only comes when father's on duty. Mother would never make such a one sided deal, she would ask for five blocks of cheese not two. And if Katniss comes she gets some large cheese rolls for two or three squirrels.

'Oh yes, she grew up in town' she says this awkwardly as if she couldn't think of anything else to say.

We're now outside her room. She hands me my jacket and I see how scarred her hands are, small white lines cover her hands like a net. They're still so elegant, long thin fingers; the only clue to her age is the bitten nails of a worried teenager. 'See you in the morning' she says

'See you' I say back and walk off before I decide to say anything else. I get back to my room and change into some stripy pyjamas and climb into bed. Sleep doesn't come for a while. I keep on replaying the night in my mind. How great it was and I wonder if Katniss had as greater time as I did. I fall to sleep and don't wake until morning.

_Thanks for reading I hope you enjoyed it! Please review and give constructive feedback! Please read on..._


	7. Chapter 7

_DISCLAIMER: I IN NO WAY OWN ANY OF THE REFRENSING TO THE HUNGER GAMES. NO COPYRIGHT INTENDED_

_..._

_Chapter 7_

The sun cracks in-between the curtains. I see an outfit hanging on the wardrobe opposite my bed and remember it's the first training session. A nervous flutter in my stomach makes me queasy. I went in the shower and used the lemon setting again. I change into the outfit Portia left me, a deep burgundy tunic with long sleeves, tight black trousers, and soft leather shoes. I walk down the corridor just as Haymitch walks past me. We walk to breakfast together silently and Katniss is already there eating silently in the self service breakfast room. I walk to the table and see plates after plate of Capitol food. I just have a few bread rolls with butter and hot chocolate to settle my stomach, and don't have anything else. I'm too nervous to stuff myself like I normally would. I hope I can pick up some valuable fighting skills in training. I can't do anything that would help me, unlike Katniss who can handle knifes and arrows like second nature.

I'm so lost in thought I don't even realise Katniss and I are wearing the same outfit again. I look stupid but she looks great. We eat in silence for a while, Katniss turning a roll over in her hands lost in thought. Me, slowly eating a few rolls, Haymitch eating like there's no tomorrow the way he mops up several bowls of stew.

'So let's get down to business.' Says Haymitch 'Training. First off, if you like, I'll coach you separately. Decide now'

'Why would you coach us separately?' asks Katniss

'Say if you had a secret skill you might not want the other to know about'

Katniss and I look at each other.

'I don't have any secret skills' I say 'and I already know what yours is, right? I've eaten enough of your squirrels.'

Katniss pauses a moment looking at me then turns to Haymitch

'You can coach us together' She tells him as I nod.

'Give me some idea of what you can do.' Haymitch says excitedly.

'I can't do anything' I say sadly, wishing I had some skills like Gale I could impress Katniss with 'unless you count baking bread'

'Sorry I don't.' say Haymitch then turns to Katniss 'Katniss. I already know you're handy with a knife.'

'Not really' he says 'but I can hunt, with a bow and arrow'

'And you're good?' asks Haymitch

She thinks about her answer, which I'm surprised at. She's great at hunting and has been providing food for her family and mine for years.

'I'm all right' she says

This ticks me off but I don't show it as I say 'She's excellent. My father buys her squirrels. He always comments on how the arrows never pierce the body. She hits every single one in the eye. It's the same with the rabbits she brings to the butcher. She can even bring down a deer!'

She looks at me surprised then asks suspiciously 'what are you doing?' she hisses

'What are you doing?' I counter 'If he's going to help you, he has to know what you're capable of. Don't underrate yourself.'

She looks annoyed then snaps 'what about you? I've seen you in the market. You can lift fifty-kilo bags of flour! Tell him that. That's not nothing.'

I don't even realise she's complimenting me as I say 'Yes and I'm sure the arena will be full of bags of flour for me to chuck at people.' I snap, then realise I'm being mean as the compliment soaks in and my voice softens and sounds strangled as I say 'it's not the same as being to use a weapon. You know it isn't.'

She doesn't even pause as her head whips around to face Haymitch 'He can wrestle. He came second in our school competition last year, only after his older brother' I didn't even realise she'd even come to watch. This made me feel warm inside that she even remembered. But it still doesn't help my case.

'What use is that?' unable to hide the pain and disgust in my voice 'How many times have you seen someone wrestle someone to death.'

'There's always hand to hand combat. All you need is to come up with a knife and you'll at least stand a chance!' She screams. Our faces mere inches apart now. 'If I get jumped I'm dead!' I hear the worry and anger in her voice but this just makes me madder.

'But you won't be! You'll be up in some tree, living off raw squirrels and picking people off with arrows' my voice sounds choked but I carry on going, tears welling in my eyes 'You know what my mother said to me when she came to say goodbye, as if to cheer me? That maybe district twelve will finally have a winner. Then I realize, she didn't mean me. She meant you!'

I hold back my tears but she says without missing a beat

'Oh she meant you.' Complete belief in her words in her eyes.

'She said 'she's a survivor that one'! _She_ is.' My voice cracked and I feel so embarrassed, blubbering like this in front of her

She looks empty for a moment lost in thought. Then looks me in the eyes, the sadness and thankfulness in her eyes drains the anger out of me when she says

'Only because someone helped me' I know she's talking about the bread because she looks down at the roll in her hands. She then looks at my face were my mother had beaten me. I feel happy that she remembered that. I shrug and say bluntly

'People will be tripping over each other to sponsor you'

'No more than you' she says. The way she raises her eye brows slightly suggests she can't think why I would ever doubt this.

I roll my eyes at Haymitch and say

'she has no idea the effect she can have,' I don't look at Katniss. Embarrassed she might see something in my eyes about my feelings for her. After a minute of me tracing the grain of the wooden table with my fingers lost in thought about how weak I am and how I'll be no help to Katniss in the arena.

I think about last year at school when I finally plucked up the courage to go talk to Katniss. She was sitting alone at her usual table which is on the outside and far away from everyone else. I started walking towards her and just as I was a few metres away Gale sat down opposite her and could see me heading towards them. He glared at me and I turned left to look as if I was going to the bathroom. I hated Gale so much in that moment. He could have any girl he wanted but he wanted the one who only thought of him as a friend. This was around the time he was flirting with some girls in his year and wasn't quite claiming Katniss as his. If she heard or saw the way he 'claims' people I can be sure she would be offended and be really mad with him. But that didn't make me feel any better. She's glowering at her roll, as if she could somehow burn it.

Haymitch brings us both back from our own little worlds.

'Well, then. Well, well, well. Katniss, there's no guarantee they'll be bows and arrows in the arena, but during your private session with the Game Makers show them what you can do. Until then, steer clear of archery. Are you any good at trapping?' he asks her. I realise how much I'll have to learn. How to catch food, plants which are edible, first aid, and how to use weapons.

If I do try to protect Katniss, it'll most likely be that I'll be a burden unless someone jumps her. So I'll have to learn fast. I might be good at knots; we have to do complicated plaits when we do particular kinds of bread, or weaving with the roll-able icing. I might also be ok at spears, if I can get enough power behind it to send it a distance. I won't be good at archery or climbing though. I'm too large to scramble up anything with the grace and speed I would need to avoid someone. Also my hands are large and wouldn't get a grip on anything.

I'd tried climbing the large apple tree in our garden when I was twelve to try and get this group of huge apples right at the top; I climbed about a metre above my height and slid down. It was pathetic and my brothers laughed at me. But they didn't get any higher; they were both much larger than me at 13 and 14. We never got those apples until they fell off and were only suitable for a pie or tart.

She replies 'I know a few basic snares.'

'That may be significant in terms of food.' Haymitch say's wisely 'And Peeta, she's right, never underestimate strength in the arena. Very often physical power tilts the advantage to the player. In the training centre, they will have weights, but don't reveal how much you can lift in front of the other tributes. The plan's the same for both of you. You go to group training. Spend the time learning something you don't know. Throw a spear. Swing a mace. Learn to tie a decent knot. Save showing what you're best at for the private sessions. Are we clear?'

Katniss and I nod.

'One last thing. In public, I want you by each other's side every minute' We both make sounds of protest, so Haymitch slams his hands on the table and shouts 'every minute! It's not open for discussion! You agreed to do as I said! You will be together, you will appear amiable together. Now get out. Meet Effie at the elevator at 10.' he turns around and looks outside.

Katniss and I take this as our cue to leave.

We walk out, well, I walk Katniss storms ahead of me – she seems to be struggling to keep ahead of me with her being about a foot shorter than me and shorter legs – and slams the door to her bedroom loudly as if to prove how angry she is. I only protested as I was hoping to stay near the Careers and get in with them, but with Katniss there it would be very hard as she hates them. So do I but it's the best I can do.

I get into my room, closing the door significantly quieter then Katniss, and think about how she kept track of me all these years. I don't know why she remembered all these things about me. But I don't complain.

I have about an hour and a half to kill so I open and close all the draws in the bedroom looking at all the clothes and find a small draw in the bedside table with a pad of paper and a pencil. It has writing all over it on each sheet and little tick boxes so you can order food in advance to eat in your room. I turn over the sheet and see its plain on the back. I run my fingers over it, admiring how smooth and pure white it us compared to the rough off-white paper we have at school. I draw us on the chariot, paying the most attention to Katniss's face. I can't quite capture the light in her eyes so I flip over the paper and try again. This one is close but still not right. I try again and this time it's perfect. I want to run to her room bang on the door and show her, I consider it, but decide against it. I would seem strange.

I head over to the elevator 10 minutes early. Effie is already there standing with her back impossibly straight, not a hair out of place (well, it's a wig ) today in an electric blue colour, with shoes and skirt to match, then a yellow jacket. Although he colours sound revolting together, the clashing actually suits her. Katniss walk down the corridor a moment later. She looks worried and I gnawing on her nails, she nearly walks into me, stops biting her nails and replaces her scowl. I look blankly back at her, showing as little of my nervousness as possible. We ride down in the elevator and step out into a waiting room, then follow through to a door which leads to the Training room. It's so huge and everything is set about 60meters apart, so any stray arrows, spears etc are less likely to fall into the wrong section. Each station is around about 80 meters wide and long. All the tributes stand in a horse shoe around where Atala is explaining the rules, each with about a three foot gap between, except for Katniss and I who are basically touching. I look around while she explains that there is no fighting to be done with another tribute, just the trained assistants. We can move around as we wish. And, to learn as much as possible. I look at the other tributes, it is clear who is from 1,2 and 4 as they look more well fed and their skin much healthier. The others however maybe muscular but look under fed and the hollows of their eyes more prominent. I see I'm not the tallest or broadest which makes a change, but I'm still in the top few. I look at Katniss and realise there are less than a handful smaller than her. Rue is by far the smallest and daintiest. There are a few short girls but still taller than Katniss but they don't look anywhere near as fit as she does. Stronger possibly, but not fitter. Except for the careers, that is. Katniss could probably run for longer, but their speed would be an advantage over her. I look at the boys and try to think who the Careers will want with them. I see Cato, a huge boy who is watching me, he looks broader than me and stronger, but I have a few inches on him height wise. I look him in the eye but don't nod or anything. He tries to stare me down but I just look back. He looks away and I see him sizing up thresh, a large boy from district 11. I see a lot of girls looking at Katniss enviously, because of her outfit that is, they possibly see her as a skinny girl who's not much competition. But I know better. I try to look confident and hope that if Haymitch's plan to appear mediocre will perhaps take the attention off her and drop it on me. Atala tells us to go to the stations. We wait for everyone else to disappear off until we speak.

I see Katniss watching the other tributes who handle some of the weapons I can't even place a name to with ease. Yup, those would be the careers; trained since they could walk for this day. I nudge her arm to bring her back and ask her where she wants to start. I see it going through her head that she doesn't particularly want to train with someone else. But orders are orders.

'Suppose we tie some knots' she says

'right you are' I reply. Shoot. I know nothing about knots! I might be able to plait some pieces of rope together like I do bread to make it thicker or something, but knots? My arms get all twisted and my hands are too beefy to do anything too fancy. Katniss has probably done loads before, she might be able to tutor me or something.

We arrive at the station, where the leader looks over enthusiastic. I can tell hardly anyone comes to this station. He shows us some basic knots (mainly me because Kat can do most of them). Latching onto Katniss because he's her little protégé he shows us a snare that would leave an unfortunate person hanging by their foot from a tree. We must have spent ages here because everyone else has moved stations. The next station is the camouflage station. We sit down and I talk to the leader about which colours I should use : red based or blue based depending on the situation. I draw vines all over my arms and leaves from all the makeshift paints made from berries mud and ground up stuff. Looking at Katniss' arms and seeing a small section of her arm covered in paints – she clearly gave up – I notice her watching me with fascination. Peeta, don't blush. I couldn't feel heat rushing to my face, the room was way too cold anyway. She looked away not even realising I'd seen her watching and look at the district 2 boy with the spear who seems so deadly, even without the spear poised to go through a dummies heart.

'I do the cakes' I tell her, thinking of the times I've seen her admiring my decorations with her sister in the shop window. If I had paper in front of me now and a lump of charcoal, I would sketch her expression, making sure I spent ages on the eyes and the way the light catches her lashes, her cheekbones and making sure I got the shapes just right and the shading perfect so she won't look like a zombie. I always struggle making hair look like hair and not just a mass of scribbles, but I've gotten a lot better recently.

She looks back at me, a dazed expression on her face 'the cakes? What cakes?' she asks.

My heart just sunk into my gladiator sandals. Oh well, hopefully if I spell it out for her she might remember something.

'At home. The iced ones, for the bakery' I say spelling it out for her.

I see her eyes glaze over, then dart to my arms a slight frown on her face. A 'how did he do that that's amazing' frown.

She looks me in the eye, a ghost of a smile on her lips 'that's lovely, if only you could frost someone to death.'

'Don't be so superior.' I say tilting my chin up and going into a very posh accent 'You never can tell what you'll find in the arena…..say it's actually a gigantic cake-'

'Say we move on' she snaps. Sheesh, I was only joking. The rest of the day past with little interaction on her part.

So did the next.

And the next

_Thanks for reading i hope you enjoyed it! Please review and give constructive feedback! please read on..._


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

I did manage to get some good skills under my belt, turns out I'm not too bad at throwing knives, or spears a short distance. Not anything over 7 metres though. Basically. I'm gonna die. Watching Katniss excelling most things (except camouflage, but she's so small if she rolled around in mud and stuck leaves to it and hid in a bush, no one would spot her, but a BFG like me would be spotted a mile away).

We walk into a room full of food, so much food. Most of us look longingly at it, the few of the fortunate ones don't even bat an eyelid as they gather up mountains of food. The Careers all sit on one table, very noisily. Katniss and I on the table in the far corner, left of the door. Everyone else on their own dotted around the room. Some of them look enviously at us, other look at us with undisguised disgust.

Katniss seems awkward with small talk, and then I notice the bread basket has loads of types of bread. I empty it on the table and explain them all to her, Capitol bread; pure white and cloud soft centre. The seaweed tinted fish shaped loaf from District 4. District 11's crescent moon shaped bread with seeds decorating the top to add texture. And all the others so much nicer than the blobs we make at home, which I suppose resemble coal if we burn it. But that wouldn't be too nice to eat.

'You certainly know a lot' she says

'Only about bread' I say, then remembering Haymitch. I smile as if I was about to say the punch line of a joke 'now laugh as if I said something funny.'

I laugh so does she, her expressions seem kind of pained though, thank god she's facing away from them. We get quite a lot of stares. Good, I can just hear Haymitch saying it now in my head.

Again I smile and say 'All right, I'll keep smiling pleasantly and you talk' I say, my brain aching from thinking on conversation.

She seems stumped for a moment, then looks down, her dark eyelashes brushed her cheeks. Then she looked up a laughing smile spreading across her face slowly while she said

'Did I ever tell you about the time I was chased by a bear?'

'No, but it sounds fascinating.' I say in reply. I smile but I know this tale from her past will probably include Gale.

'Gale and I were out in the woods, and I spotted a bee hive. I knocked it down with my arrow so the bees would all fly out, but a bear started walking towards it from about 50 meters away. But I really really really wanted this beehive for its honey so Prim can have a treat on her birthday which was the following day.' She says, her eyes glowing 'So I started running, and so did the bear.'

I animate my face into anticipation.

'Then what?'

'I grabbed it off the floor and ran to Gale so we could get away. When we got farther away we slowed down because we hadn't seen it. Then it appeared next to us when we had sat down and emptied it into a water skin. So I threw the beehive and hoped it would chase after it like a dog.' She says and laughs slightly at the memory, so I do too.

'Ahahaha! A bear that thinks like a dog?'

'No, after I threw the empty beehive it didn't chase it; instead it chased me around trying to get the water skin off my belt. It was only a small thing, and obviously a child, but it was also lame. Still fast though! I did manage to get away with only 3 claw marks on my bum!' she says her eyes dancing.

I laugh and say 'Did Primrose enjoy the honey?'

'Yes she loved it. I also swapped 4 squirrels for an apple pie at your bakery. It had a crisscross pattern on top with little pastry flowers in the middle. She drizzled honey all over it and got all sticky, her hair also got covered in it, not that buttercup minded licking her fingers afterwards though.' She's smiling, then suddenly isn't. She stands up to give her plates to the Avox on cleaning duty. I follow but she's out the door and nowhere to be seen by the time I navigate my way around the tables (not very gracefully I might add) to the door.

Nothing much happens before I go to bed. I grab the pad of the notepaper and a pen with the Capitol emblem on it, and sit in the window. I loosely sketch the view out my window, but the paper is too smooth to get the rough texture of the landscape, so I draw Katniss' face when she talked about how much Prim enjoyed the honey and apple pie. It takes me a while to get her eyes and mouth right, and by then I'm exhausted and go to bed.


End file.
